Steal Your Heart
by heartsmash
Summary: What would have happened if Beca hadn't put "Don't You Forget About Me" in the Bellas performance piece for finals? Named for the Augustana song by the same title. Beca/Jesse.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Steal Your Heart

**Author:** heartsmash

**Rating:** M, for later chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these wonderful characters written by Kay Cannon and brought to life by Jason Moore.

**Summary:** What would have happened if Beca hadn't put "Don't You Forget About Me?" in the Bellas performance piece for finals? Named for the Augustana song by the same title.

**Author's Notes**: A big thank you for **becc-gallanter** for being my sounding board on this first chapter! She certainly gave me the encouragement to post it and get this next story started. I wouldn't consider this an AU piece because everything up until the Bellas perform at the finals happened. I'm changing the ending for my own twisted imagination. As always, would love to hear what you all have to say and think about this…maybe even hear where you would take this story knowing the premise?

* * *

**Chapter One**

Beca breathed deep as she walked into the arts and sciences building on Barden University's campus. It still hadn't lost its stench of mildew and burnt coffee despite being barely used for the summer break - somehow that was still comforting in a way to Beca.

It was the beginning to sophomore year and Beca had set up a nice schedule for herself, not allowing any classes to require her presence prior to 10 am. Her father had made some comment about her actually attending more classes this semester to which Beca had responded with a sarcastic flash of teeth.

But for her first day of classes and not to mention the first class of the day, she would be fulfilling her upper level history requirement with a class entitled Spies, Assassins, Martyrs, and Witches: Famous Trials in American History. She was hoping the two-hour lecture and one hour discussion sessions during the week would prompt to her to actually attend. Nothing was worse last year than her Introduction to Philosophy class as the teacher had sounded like he was reciting from their textbook, lacking that important engaging students in the class aspect. Beca often liked the idea of clawing her eyes out instead of attending.

She found the classroom with ease and took a seat in the back. Beca was completely unwilling to be caught dead near the front of the room during the first month of classes. It would mean an escape to the back of the room later in the semester would be looked upon with disdain and suspicion. Why set the teacher up for disappointment when she could start in the back of the room on day one?

The professor, a stout, short older gentleman was bent over the desk reviewing notes so Beca busied herself with reviewing her course schedule. She had two additional classes that day leaving her with two more on Tuesdays and Thursdays and no classes on Fridays. It made getting a solid daytime slot at the radio station easier before the weekend. Bellas rehearsals were not going to be ridiculous as the year previous. The year would be fun - Beca was determined to make it so - especially after coming back to the new school year as reigning ICCA champions. They would have two rehearsals a week unless another time was needed.

Auditions for new members were not for another two weeks but as captain, she wanted to have the returning members over for a first meeting of the year to gather some input. Luckily, her new roommate was fine with that.

Living with Amy had been fine thus far as Dr. Mitchell had pulled a string or two to get the girls in a suite with separate bedrooms and a shared living space and bathroom. Amy had a place to work on her mermaid dancing and Beca had space to blast music and make mixes.

"Hey Beca," someone said and looking up, Beca saw Benjamin Applebaum, Jesse's former roommate and Treblemakers member.

The boy took a seat next to her and pulled out a notebook, ready to be a model student. Beca found it incredibly endearing.

"Benji, it's syllabus day. You can take notes on the syllabus."

Reluctantly Benji put away his notebook and drummed on the desk top.

"Why'd you pick this class?" he asked.

"The title seemed like the class would keep me awake. You?"

"Close up magic fan. Was kind of interested in the whole witches aspect."

If it was anyone else, Beca would have laughed in their face. But Benji was such a nice person who genuinely meant what he said that Beca could appreciate him being in the class with her. At least she wouldn't have to pretend to be friends with someone to have a study partner.

Her only hesitation lay in Jesse. They hadn't spoken since the finals at Lincoln Center. There had been a good luck before the Treblemakers had performed and quick congratulations exchange between the two of them before her dad and Sheila had taken her to Serendipity 3 to celebrate. Her apology to him before she had rejoined the Bellas hadn't been enough and she really didn't know what else to say.

Beca missed her friend but if he was expecting to break down all her walls and automatically let him into a place that very few knew, then they were at an impasse. After many years and too many times of being let down, Beca had learned the important lesson that it was easier to keep others at arms length than to let them know every part of you and have the ability to break you.

The professor handed out copies of the syllabus to all students and Beca leisurely took notes that were vital to her maintaining a decent grade while Benji scribbled feverishly.

Before she knew it, the professor was dismissing them from the room and she was walking alongside Benji in the hall.

"Where are you headed next? I've got Statistics in Drake."

"I've got Comparative Literature one floor up."

Beca stopped dead in her tracks.

"Not with my dad right?" she asked fearfully. If she could keep everyone she associated with at Barden from taking a class with him, she would be a happy camper. Beca was positive that her father used pithy stories about her childhood as examples in his course and that made her want to die.

"No, Dr. Kilner," Benji replied with an easy smile.

Beca sighed audibly. "I can walk you. I've still got a half hour."

Benji stuttered something and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Jesse was in the class as well. At least Benji was looking out for her in a way.

"Enough said. I'll see you around."

Slipping on her headphones, Beca found the nearest staircase and left the arts and sciences building. In the bright morning sunlight, she thought she caught sight of messy auburn locks heading into the building. She felt a pang in her stomach that she immediately willed away.

Letting emotions take over would make her weak.

* * *

Benji found Jesse sitting on the left side of the room, lost in thought. He took a seat that his friend had saved for him.

"Hey man," Jesse said, coming out of his daze.

"First class of the day huh?"

"Yeah, these late start mornings may be a blessing or a curse. Not 100% sure yet."

Benji smiled and turned back to the front of the class and waited for Dr. Kilner. The beginning of class time passed by and the professor was late. It was seven past the hour when someone that was not Dr. Kilner rushed into the room.

"Good morning everyone, I'm Dr. Mitchell. Turns out Dr. Kilner went rock climbing in Tallulah Gorge over the weekend and fractured his femur. So as we wish him a speedy recovery, the department has split up his assigned classes for the semester and I will be taking over this section of Comp Lit. Any questions thus far?"

Benji looked over at Jesse who had slunk down in his seat a little. With Beca's father teaching the course and the inability to bolt from the room, Jesse was trapped for the next however many minutes.

"All right, here is your syllabus for this course. Ignore the class number at the top of the page as I did not have time to change it before running in here. All calendar dates are accurate however."

Benji accepted the pile from the girl in front of him. Glancing quickly at Jesse once more only confirmed that this was going to be one long class, not to mention an entire semester if them.

As soon as Dr. Mitchell dismissed them, Jesse bolted for the door and Benji scrambled to catch up. He almost had to jog when they got outside the building to keep up with Jesse's long frenzied stride.

"Man, you've got a fire lit under you," Benji teased as they headed towards the student center.

When he got no answer from Jesse or even a grunt of acknowledgement, Benji pushed further. "This wouldn't have anything to do with a five foot Bellas member whose father just taught our class?"

Jesse shot him a look but Benji looked at him passively. The comment had not meant to make him angry but simply to understand the issue for walking so quickly.

"I have a class with her. The one before Comp Lit."

Still nothing.

"Barden is a big school but not so big that you're never going to see her. Especially since you're a Treble, she's a Bella."

"Dude, drop it please. My current policy is avoid until otherwise noted."

Benji obeyed his friend and followed him into the little sandwich place that was in the student center. Over lunch they began talking Trebles strategy since the two of them were co-chairing the group - to Benji's delight and Jesse's chagrin.

"We've got three spots to fill and the Bellas have song choice for auditions. What do you think they're going to pick?"

"Whatever it is hopefully it shows off their range and some sort of arrangement ability," Jesse answered him picking at the leftover crust.

The Bellas had went with a melody of songs layered over one another at the finals - Price Tag, Give Me Everything, Just the Way You Are and We are Young. The arrangement for the Fun. piece had been incredible – multi-layered and rich. The popular music choices combined with their choreography had given them the edge to win.

Jesse had been happy for the girls but it still saddened him to know that his friendship with Beca was over. He had gotten fed up of being shut out repeatedly when he had only been there for her as a friend. Sure, he had thought of her as possibly becoming more some day but that would never happen with how Beca kept her walls up.

The loud unmistakable laughter of Cynthia Rose boomed as the girl walked into the student center with Stacie. Jesse caught her eye and gave a small nod hello. It was time for him to head to his next class, even if he had another twenty minutes to spare. He didn't want a chance meeting with Beca. Avoiding awkwardness on the first day of classes was ideal.

Benji looked at him in surprise but at also spying the two Bellas who had walked in he understood.

"I'll see you at the house," Jesse said and lifting his backpack into his shoulder headed out into the sunshine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Steal Your Heart

**Author:** heartsmash

**Rating:** M, for later chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these wonderful characters written by Kay Cannon and brought to life by Jason Moore.

**Summary:** What would have happened if Beca hadn't put "Don't You Forget About Me?" in the Bellas performance piece for finals? Named for the Augustana song by the same title.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Beca forcefully stabbed the green beans on her plate and half-listened to Sheila talk about the conference that she had just gotten home from a few days prior. Selling medical supplies had always seemed super mundane to Beca and truthfully hearing about it did not make it any more appealing.

In attempt to better her relationship with her father, Beca had agreed to have dinner once a week at his house. The house was close enough to campus for her to walk and he was willing to work with Beca's schedule so that it wasn't a rigid appointment that might end up getting cancelled more often than not based on both their busy schedules.

This week it was Thursday that they were sitting in her dad's dining room, eating salmon and green beans. Now that Sheila had finally gotten the memo that Beca was a pescaterian, fish was served every time that she was over for a meal.

As Sheila rambled on about how luxurious the sheets were at the hotel that the conference was held in and how wonderful the anecdotes were from the keynote speaker, Beca's mind began to wander - specifically, to the food in front of her. Luckily for Beca, Sheila's cooking had improved. She silently wondered if maybe her father had had something to do with said skills improving, perhaps in the form of cooking lessons.

"How were your first few days of classes Bec?" her dad asked, turning the conversation to her and effectively ending her previous train of thought.

"Good so far, I attended all of them this week," she replied with a nod of her head.

Sheila looked troubled by response. "Beca, an education is a terrible thing to waste even if it's free. You should be taking this more seriously."

"Hon, she's joking. Teasing me for asking her to attend more classes this year," her father said, calming his wife.

"Ta da," Beca replied complete with jazz hands.

Her father sent her a warning look and she picked up her fork begrudgingly. In her mind, Sheila really needed to learn how to take a joke. Her too-blonde, too tan step mother may have had all her humor evaporated from her body in one of those indoor tanning beds.

Her father on the other hand had moved the discussion to how his course schedule was shaping up as he taught with the English department at Barden.

"I actually had to take on an additional section of Comp Lit. Steve Kilner got hurt rock climbing this past weekend."

The fork that had been in Beca's hand quickly clattered back down to its previous position on the plate.

"Please tell me that you're not teaching a Comp Lit class Monday and Wednesday at 11:30 in the Arts building on the third floor."

When Dr. Mitchell stayed quiet, Beca knew that, as fate would have it, her father was now teaching Benji and Jesse's class.

"Dad, for the love of all things good in the world, please pay no attention to anyone in that class that you may have met in the past... Outside a police station particularly."

"I knew he looked familiar!" Dr. Mitchell crowed snapping his fingers.

Beca dropped her head into her hands and mumbled a few profanities.

"Dad, seriously," Beca said her voice muffled by her hands. "You will seriously mortify me and embarrass yourself in the process. Just pretend like everyone student in that room are people that you are meeting for the first time this semester. Please."

Daniel Mitchell shot his wife a look and Sheila excused herself with a mumble about soaking the pan. Beca's father could sense that his teenage daughter needed some more guidance from her father and would do so better without her stepmother's presence.

"Bec, what's going on?"

Beca sighed and pushed her plate away from her. "Nothing. Jesse and I aren't really friends anymore. I tried to apologize to him…about what happened…right when we had this chat the last time and he didn't want to hear it."

She didn't really want to get into the ins and outs of her love life or the lack there of with her father. Beca was sure that the explanation didn't make any sense to her father as denoted by the look on his face.

"I don't get it," he finally admitted to her.

"He wants my walls down and I don't. I want to be friends with him, I do…but not at the risk of being vulnerable."

Dr. Mitchell felt partly responsible for the walls that Beca had up around her, preventing her from this friendship or other relationships in her life. The divorce from Beca's mother had been messy and that was not a secret from his daughter. The one thing he regretted most was how he left – in the middle of the night while Beca had been asleep like a coward. He knew that even though they didn't talk about it was how much that had hurt her. In that moment, he knew that he had to offer her some sort of advice for the situation that she was experiencing.

"Bec, don't let your fear of being hurt prevent you from being friends with someone. Maybe it's worth you seeking him out, having another conversation."

"Maybe," she answered half-heartedly.

Dr. Mitchell didn't press the situation any further and instead called to Sheila to bring in dessert.

Beca watched the clock, as she had to be back in her room for the first Bellas meeting of the year. Seeing as how Aubrey passed her the figurative torch of leadership when she graduated, it was important that she started the school year on the right note.

When the time came for Beca to begin the walk back to campus, Sheila gave her Tupperware full of cookies.

"For your friends," Sheila told her and Beca just said thank you, not entirely sure if the cookies in the container were edible.

Beca trudged back to campus, cookies in tow, wrestling with the knowledge that her dad and Jesse had to see each other twice a week. She hoped that her father followed her request but something deep in her gut told her that he may try and act in her best interest by getting involved in the situation.

But when she arrived back at her dorm, she had to push that aside all that still rested in her mind about the issue. The Bellas would be arriving for the meeting and she had left Amy to set up. Thankfully when she opened the door, Jessica was also there helping move some chairs around to get more seating for the eight girls returning to the club.

"Hey Beca," Jessica greeted with a sunny grin.

"Hey Jess," she replied and put the cookies down on a chair to get involved.

"Oy, you left so I recruited help," Amy told her roommate. "What you got there?" she questioned, gesturing to the cookies.

Beca handed over the container of cookies and the Aussie took a seat. There was a quiet rap on the door and Beca answered. Soon, everyone was sitting around waiting to get started. Amy opened the container of cookies and took two before passing them along. Beca winced and thought possibly of telling her that she didn't vouch for the cookies that her roommate had in hand. But the meeting was more important.

"Okay everyone I guess we can get started. Welcome back," Beca said and sat up a little straighter in her chair.

Everyone clapped gleefully and Cynthia Rose even gave a little whoop of cheer. Beca couldn't contain her enjoyment and smiled widely.

"I figured I would call the first meeting of the year to talk about auditions as well as to find out what you guys want to sing this year. I don't want this to be me flexing my power."

"Well, we know that Tommy is going to turn the song choice to us," Stacie said filing her nails as usual.

"And we choose what exactly? We can't be predictable," Ashley responded.

Artists were thrown around out loud as were songs until Denise came up with the bright idea of Florence and the Machine.

"Shake It Out has some range and it would be a good song to hear their percussion ability on," the brunette said, a blush coloring her cheeks as she spoke. Suggestions were not normally heard from the girl.

Beca nodded and put it to a vote amongst. The girls all voted in favor of using the sing.

"But you've got to play it off like we don't have a song picked out," Cynthia Rose said. "It will make it seem more like a wild card."

Before Beca could agree with her teammate, Amy spit out the cookies she had taken hold of earlier and complained loudly.

"Those cookies taste like a litter box. Jesus." The blonde looked at Beca for an explanation and Beca cringed at the description of what was in the container. Lilly and Jessica quickly dropped theirs back into the container.

"Sorry, the step-monster made them," Beca explained.

"And I get no warning?"

Beca shrugged before refocusing the meeting back on the club. She mentioned to everyone that they had to decide on how many girls they would take.

"Regulation says no more than 24 members but I guess the question is, are we looking to replace more than just Aubrey and Chloe?"

In the end, the group decided that it would be based on what they saw at auditions. If there was amazing talent that they couldn't pass up then they might take more than two girls.

After that the girls talked briefly about their summer vacations and how their classes were going thus far before the group began to dissipate and everyone headed out to their own dorm rooms. Stacie stayed behind and helped clean up the living area. Beca helped put the place back together with her while Amy chugged OJ, presumably to rid the lingering taste from Sheila's cookies.

"I saw Jesse the other day," Stacie said off-handedly as she fluffed a pillow. "He was with that Benji kid in the student center. You guys still talk?"

Initially frozen at yet another mention of Jesse's name, Beca shook it off an answered her friend.

"No, we don't. After semi- finals last year, things kind of combusted."

No offense to Stacie, but Beca was not going into the ins and outs of why they were no longer friends as she didn't want all the Bellas to know her business. The two people who knew anything were Chloe and Amy, both who had differing opinions on her next step.

"Shame. The kid is kind of a Baldwin."

Beca gave Stacie a blank look at her comment.

"_Clueless_? Hello? 1995 classic." Stacie made a W with her fingers and Beca could only assume that that also something to do with the movie that she didn't know.

Stacie finished helping Beca move back the furniture before announcing that she had to hunt and left for the night.

"Gross," Beca mumbled and said goodnight to Amy before heading into her room.

She sat down at her desk and moved the textbooks aside instead intent on making a mix. Her fingers quickly found purchase, half of clutching the mouse while the others moved across the keyboard.

Nothing sounded right which frustrated Beca to no end. For a fleeting moment, she considered chucking her computer across the room to relieve the frustration she felt.

The night had had too much mention of Jesse. Beca hadn't even seen him and she felt overwhelmed by his presence. She had been content, having spent her summer not thinking of him and now being back at Barden for a matter of days had him dangling in front of her more than she'd like.

Turning off the monitor, she flicked off the lights and slipped under the covers still fully dressed. Maybe sleep would give her the clear mind that she needed.

* * *

**A/N:** So that's the next chapter and you'll see the story moving along as the chapters continue. More Jesse in the next chapter for those who were missing them in this one. Inspiration for the song that the Bellas have chosen as the audition song comes from the UNC Loreleis, the all women's acapella group. The video if you care to see (and it is worth a watch if you like this kind of thing) is /Aj_zb2MKto4.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Steal Your Heart

**Author:** heartsmash

**Rating:** M, for later chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these wonderful characters written by Kay Cannon and brought to life by Jason Moore.

**Summary:** What would have happened if Beca hadn't put "Don't You Forget About Me?" in the Bellas performance piece for finals? Named for the Augustana song by the same title.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The morning of auditions arrived before Beca knew it. Between papers that were due and studying for a few tests, the two weeks since the first Bellas meeting of the year had flown by. All of the girls were still firm in the decision for the audition song to be "Shake it Out" by Florence + the Machine and it made Beca happy to see that they were all on the same page to start out the year. (Personally, she wanted to burn the former set list that had once been handed to her by Aubrey but she didn't want to be overly rebellious.)

Of course, the two weeks had not been without their dose of the dramatic. As luck would have it, on alternating Fridays Jesse had the radio show slot after hers. It made her a little smug that she had more airtime than him, but she dreaded when his time actually started next week. As shows handed off, there were those few minutes where interaction was required. What was just played, conversation topics recently covered among other things had to be conversed between different show hosts. Beca didn't need awkwardness and drama to upset the new station manager that had replaced Luke.

But somehow, until today's auditions she had avoided seeing him. Barden wasn't that big of a school but she had done her best to think like Jesse and avoid any spots that he might be in. She had even given up on her favorite spot on the grass, abandoning it for a corner of the library on the fourth floor where there was barely another soul present. She used the complete and utter alone time, away from the Bellas, her father and her avoidance of Jesse, to make mixes and actually do schoolwork.

Pulling on a striped tank top and jeans, she ran a brush through her knotted hair and made it look somehow presentable. Slipping on her star choker necklace before moving onto makeup, Beca wanted to murder the butterflies that had assembled in her stomach. Half of her wanted to see him and the other part wanted to forget he even existed, as difficult as that was.

The alone time had also given her time to process the Jesse situation and how exactly she would handle seeing him since the unspoken decision for them to end their friendship.

She would be her normal self because honestly, being overly cheerful or freezing him out would be a dead giveaway that the whole thing had affected her.

From the moment that he had sung one of Kansas' biggest hits from the backseat of his parents' car, she had labeled him as weird. But in a bizarre way, she hasn't minded his presence. His penchant for movies and how he related even the most mundane moments in life to a movie scene was annoying as all hell but he had been a good friend outside the Bellas.

And okay fine, she would admit to herself and no one else - he wasn't unfortunate looking. That cocky grin that appeared all too often was incredibly charming. And all right, a small part of her (tiny really) had wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

She hated how he had needed her walls down so instantaneously. Beca gazed at her reflection in the mirror and knew where Jesse was coming from. A two-parent household that was full of love and siblings had been all he had ever known. Hell, there was probably a purebred golden retriever lying by the fireplace. He didn't understand her in that way.

But now she had to forget any sort of wall-reducing feelings that remained. Becca had to be the girl in charge of leading the Bellas into another year of competition and not the girl that harbored any feelings of hurt when it came to a boy. She needed to be the picture of a leader. Putting the eye shadow brush down and grabbed a pen so that she would have it to take notes. Beca opened her bedroom door and found Amy waiting for her, clutching the trophy that the Bellas had won the previous year.

"Aubrey gave me strict instructions to make sure that this was on display."

"And you decided to listen?" Beca asked with an eyebrow quirked.

"Do you want to find out what happens when I don't?" Amy countered.

Beca had to give it all of twenty seconds to agree to the trophy being on display. She had no desire to poke a sleeping giant (which meant that Aubrey would surely fly to Georgia to crack the whip).

"Let's go," she instructed and followed her roommate to the performing arts center on campus.

Most of the Bellas were already present, waiting for the auditions to get underway. But before Beca gave any sort of direction to the girls, she spied Benji with Kolio and had to say hello. They've been study partners since the beginning of the semester and truthfully if it wasn't for Benji's input on what they were studying she might be failing because the material was so boring. But the geeky Treblemaker was surprisingly fun to be around.

"Hey," Beca said behind him and he spun to greet her.

"Beca, hey. Exciting day huh?" he questioned with a large grin.

"It's definitely something in that area," she responded with a wry smile.

Benji remained blissfully ignorant of her sarcasm and asked her when they were studying for their upcoming exam.

"All dependent on what we see here today. Got to get a Bellas rehearsal schedule together. And so do you…and Jesse…for the Trebles." Beca felt Jesse's name stick her throat. She coughed to clear her suddenly dry throat.

"Speaking of," Benji said and Beca didn't have to turn to know that Jesse was approaching. She could feel his presence.

"What now? It's too early for me to have already done something wrong."

Beca smiled just barely at the boy's humor. Add that to the list of the things that she missed. She turned to finally look at him and he looked good. He still had a slight tan from the summer and appeared to be in a great mood.

"Hey there," she greeted him

"How are you doing?" he asked and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kolio and Benji slink away. 'Cowards,' she thought sourly. They left her to the inevitable awkwardness but Beca knew that this would have to happen sometime and at least there was the distraction of other people around to keep things from spiraling out of control.

"I'm good. Things are busy. You?"

"Yeah, no rest for the weary."

There was a beat of silence that Beca had no idea what to do with. But Jesse jumped right back into the deep end of awkwardness.

"Looks like we'll be at the radio station together at points again."

Lean into the discomfort seemed to the Jesse's modus operandi. Beca swallowed the lump in her throat and gave him the answer that they both needed to hear.

"Yeah, I noticed that. It'll be fun."

Jesse nodded his agreement. Justin signaled to the captains to pick up paperwork, which apparently was a life raft in disguise.

"See you later," she told him and took her paperwork to where the other Bellas sat. She took a seat between Amy and Lilly and spread the folders on the desk in front of her.

"Well that looked fun," Amy noted and gestured her head to where Beca had been talking with Jesse.

"Obviously," Beca deadpanned.

Tommy strode onto the stage, his trusty clipboard in hand which shut her up and let her mind focus on the situation at hand.

"Listen up aca-ballers! I have been rejected by the Navy, shoved into a Dora the Explorer backpack and pushed into the girl's locker room wearing nothing but suspenders. But no matter, I am in the world that I love. And with the assistance of my boy, Justin," Tommy said, taking a breath and allowing the other boy to speak for the barest of seconds.

"My liege," Justin said with a bow.

"I launch this year's auditions. Belly roll," Tommy whispered loudly.

Justin slapped at his bulge and Beca had to close her eyes or else she knew that she would have nightmares.

"The most recent ICCA National Champion winners get to pick the audition song."

Justin made a cymbal crash sound effect with his mouth. Beca could feel all the Bellas around her almost bounce with excitement at being the driving force behind the auditions this year. The Treblemakers and the BU Harmonics waited as Beca falsely deliberated with Amy and Lilly before she leaned back in her chair and gave a cocky grin. Tommy returned her grin almost in a challenge.

"All right nerds, let's go with…Shake It Out by Florence + the Machine."

Justin nodded at the choice and the lack of mocking comments from either Tommy, Justin or the other groups that were there to participate in auditions (the High Notes not with standing), made Beca confident in their choice.

There was some commotion as those that were trying out began to prepare their audition. Tommy instructed them that they would have just about five minutes before he called the first person onto the stage. Beca was glad for the distraction of soon having the first person of the day front and center with their audition. She could feel Jesse's eyes on her but she couldn't turn around. It was like having a heat lamp trained on the back of her neck. It had been hard enough standing so close to him just before, that this was faintly torturous.

She poked Lilly in the ribs and the quiet Asian percussionist looked at her questioningly.

"Can you, discreetly, turn and check to see if Jesse is looking over here?"

Lilly nodded and spun around to ask Cynthia Rose something completely random but the other girl took in stride because Lilly was pretty much random all the time. Lilly settled back into her seat and told Beca that yes, he had been staring at her but looked away right before she had sat back down in her chair. Beca nodded her understanding and trained her attention on the stage as Tommy called the first person to audition.

"My name is Cody Ryan and I'm also a trained martial artist," the boy said before performing a quick roundhouse to demonstrate.

He launched into the audition song and he wasn't bad. Truthfully, a majority of those who were auditioning this year were extremely talented. After seeing just over thirty people, Beca felt as if they had six possible candidates, two of them sure things. Devon Callahan had started out by singing Shake It Out beautifully before seamlessly launching into the percussion piece of the song. It had been quite impressive. The other was Melanie Harris. The girl had a solid alto register, which would only aid the Bellas in the upcoming season. If anyone had an issue with them joining the Bellas, Beca was going to need some serious evidence as to why.

"Good job on auditions today. Much more impressive than last year," Tommy perceived which made Beca scowl. "Captains, please watch your email for updates on upcoming events. The university has requested that the acapella groups become more philanthropic as well as more visible on campus, which we will do our best to accommodate."

"Great," Beca mumbled at the news. On top of rehearsals and performances, Beca was going to include said events on the calendar. The girls were going to love her, especially when there was nothing she could do the events if the university was mandating it.

As the other groups filtered out to make decisions on which people would be offered spots, Beca told the girls to meet in their practice space. They would make the decisions on whom to offer Bella memberships to as well as set up the initiation.

Casting a glance at the Trebles, Beca saw Jesse laughing with Unicycle. She knew it was official - he was completely unaffected by the termination of their friendship. And even if she wasn't "there" she had plenty of experience in faking emotions. She had spent many years pretending with her father that she wasn't mad at him and that things were wonderful at home.

At Hood Night, Beca would be the picture of a carefree girl.

Well, as carefree as Beca Mitchell could be.

* * *

Jesse dropped onto his bed and covered his face with his hands. Except for catching fleeting glimpses of her campus and doing his best to remain invisible, this had been the first time that Jesse had seen Beca since the end of their freshman year.

She looked the same. Not that she wouldn't - he hadn't heard anything about her being in a horrible accident that had disfigured her and taken away her infectious laugh - not that he had wished anything like that. And now he realized how monstrous that made him sounds.

Seeing her after months of working to forget their friendship and what he had hoped would progress to them dating had not been easy. But after some strong language advice from his younger sister ("Fuck that bitch. Act like everything is great even if its not."), he had gone ahead with what she had said. It had taken some time to psych himself up to that point but when he had walked into the arts center and seen her with Benji, there was no avoiding it.

So he had faked like she hasn't ripped his still beating heart from his chest and done the Mexican hat dance all over it.

But now, when he had a few minutes to himself he could admit that seeing her up close and personal had hurt like a motherfucker. And he had no idea how he was going to rid any feelings that he had for her, once and for all. He didn't even want to think about what it would be like after every hand off at the radio station.

There was a knock on the door and Troy, one of the seniors in the group, poked his head into Jesse's room

"We've gotta make selections dude."

"Just give me a few minutes," Jesse responded.

Satisfied with the answer, Troy left Jesse to figure out how seeing Beca at Hood Night was going to go. Last year, Hood Night had been exciting what with seeing Beca as a new member of the Bellas and he as a member of the Treblemakers. This year, it seemed to be less so. He was too focused on avoiding more awkward conversation with her. He just hoped that Justin played enough music and that there was enough beer to keep his mind occupied for the night.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm been a terrible person not getting this chapter up. But hopefully, you all like it enough to forgive my delinquency. Regarding the speed of this story - I do have to defend it if any of you are feeling like this is moving slow. Seeing as how I'm rewriting the end of the movie, this is going to have to move at a slower pace. But as Jesse and Beca are thrown together more and as other people come into the picture, things will pick up. So I guess my advice is, hang in there? More is coming. Thanks for reading!


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